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Remember that the environment is Florida’s economy | Letters
Here’s what readers are saying in Wednesday’s letters to the editor.
 
Florida needs to protect its aquifer. Manatee Springs State Park produces 100 million gallons of clear, cool water daily, which meanders through hardwood wetlands to the Suwannee. But the green algae prevalent at the spring has outcompeted native eel grass, a symptom of nutrient pollution in the watershed and overpumping of the aquifer.
Florida needs to protect its aquifer. Manatee Springs State Park produces 100 million gallons of clear, cool water daily, which meanders through hardwood wetlands to the Suwannee. But the green algae prevalent at the spring has outcompeted native eel grass, a symptom of nutrient pollution in the watershed and overpumping of the aquifer.
Published Nov. 30, 2022

Commit to a clean Florida

Five ways to fix Florida | Perspective, Nov. 27

Florida residents will all agree with Craig Pittman’s essay on the need to fix our environment. After all, “The environment is our economy.” What we don’t all agree on is the “how to.” No amount of restoration of water will help until polluters are stopped. Overdevelopment is obvious to everyone. Rising sea levels will continue to get worse until we use only clean energy sources. Florida must stop fossil fuel encouragement and profiteering. Florida springs are diminishing, and our water levels are down. Destruction of the aquifer may cause developers to slow down.

The Tampa Bay area alone has many environmental advocacy organizations. Whatever way you choose to advocate for Florida’s environment, we all must commit to a cleaner environment for the new year. Government subsidies to big oil and campaign finance reform are two areas that I believe need change. We must let our politicians know what is needed and what we will vote for. Our opinion does matter.

Leigh Dallas, Lutz

You want litigation with that?

Her mac and cheese took more than 3.5 minutes to make. Now, she’s suing. | Nov. 29

Get ready for more endless lawyer commercials. Forget about the serious litigation regarding deadly pollution at Camp LeJeune. Now it’s all about: Have you been duped into buying mac and cheese and had to wait longer than 3½ minutes? You maybe entitled to substantial compensation! Shame on any law firm that wastes the court’s time on that.

Rich Lynch, North Redington Beach

Saving the manatees

Manatees don’t hire lobbyists | Column, Nov. 29

We need to protect manatees. First, why not require that all boats have a shield around rotating propellers to prevent prop cuts to manatees? Second, attach some type of recording device to some manatees that detects pollution or water issues. Maybe we attach cameras to see what they encounter everyday? After all, in an interconnected world, if they die, so do we.

Roger Robbins, Sebring